Introduction
The juvenile system does not focus on gender differences, so the consequences of crime currently remain more pronounced for girls than boys. Although justice seeks to equalize rights, girls are subject to the same penalties as boys, while their crime status is lower. Status offenses predominate among girls because of the strong influence of socialization and environment, but the juvenile system does not adequately consider this in sentencing.
The Silencing of Female Juvenile Delinquency
For female juvenile delinquency, there is a problem of ignoring the nature of the crimes. For girls, crime is far from a high crime, but this is not a mitigating factor in court (Chesney-Lind & Shelden, 2014b). Girls show restraint in offending, but there is insufficient information about why crime becomes their choice (Smith et al., 2020). Public order violations among girls are lower than among boys (Ehrmann et al., 2019), and it is unclear how to respond to official statistics. An essential consequence of this silence is the lack of mechanisms for girls to return to society after arrest because their rehabilitation does not match the nature of their crimes.
The Diversity of Crimes Among Girls
The magnitude of juvenile crime among girls is lower than that of boys in recent decades. The delinquency ratio is 2:1, but it does not match the incidence of delinquent behavior among adolescents (Chesney-Lind & Shelden, 2014c). The silencing of deviance among girls is manifested against a background of diverse criminal behavior among boys. For example, violent crime, vandalism, and assault are common among boys, while reports of running away are common among girls (Chesney-Lind & Shelden, 2014c). Status offenses dominate for girls, but the justice system does not account for their causes (de Carvalho et al., 2021). In contrast to boys, girls are less likely to commit serious offenses, but justice does not operate on these differences in sentencing.
As a result, crimes are greatly exaggerated in the justice system despite remaining stable for several decades. The censure of girls is much stronger than that of boys, and from a social theory perspective, personalized rehabilitation for girls should be the preferred way to return to society (Stephens, 2020). Girls receive more punishment for less misconduct, and the pronounced gender gap persists (Chesney-Lind & Shelden, 2014c). Nevertheless, the female gender is a protective factor in crime statistics (Liu & Miller, 2020). Despite the prevalence of status offenses, girls’ delinquency is a consequence of social influence rather than an apparent desire to violate laws.
Specificity of Crimes
Girls are characterized by petty, multiple crimes and status offenses related to mental health complications. Status offenses are another category among the crimes that dominate among others. Running away or breaking curfew is more common than other offenses in this category, but regardless, girls are recommended for corrections (Chesney-Lind & Shelden, 2014d). Boys are four times less likely to go to court for the same offenses, and this gender gap is a direct consequence of inadequate rehabilitation (Chesney-Lind & Shelden, 2014d).
Punishment for status offenses is interpreted as the need to provide care and supervision for her health. However, this does not justify the difference in the severity of punishment and crime research. The Juvenile Justice Act regulates the punishment and delinquency system, but the crime problem remains unresolved. Girls probably do not receive enough care, and their mental health suffers (Chesney-Lind & Shelden, 2014d). However, compared to boys, girls continue to be in a vulnerable position due to the bias of the juvenile courts.
Socialization of Girls in the Context of Delinquency
The influence of gender on children’s lives is pronounced in many areas, which determines the differences in behavior. Both girls and boys are regularly persecuted for stereotypically feminine behaviors – tears and emotional expressiveness (Chesney-Lind & Shelden, 2014a). Girls are also exposed to crime and abuse from boys: verbal abuse, sexual molestation, and harassment. The school environment reinforces gender stereotypes; consequently, girls do not have pronounced professional aspirations. It is reflected in their views and attitudes about their status and adult life, which generally leads to the problem of perpetual low self-esteem.
Gender socialization leads to the fact that girls are less able to determine where their desire is and where it is dictated by society. In the context of delinquency, this is reflected in their classroom behavior, academic performance, and expression of desire (Chesney-Lind & Shelden, 2014a). Adolescent girls may be more diligent, but they often accept the burden of never being noticed as much as boys. This realization leads to criminal behavior, which is to get attention and gain some advantage over boys.
Additionally, the frequency of delinquency may correlate with whether an adolescent girl becomes a victim of peer crime (Chesney-Lind & Shelden, 2014a). Girls explain their crimes as a form of emancipation and a way to demonstrate their capabilities (de Carvalho et al., 2021). Crime is a way of overcoming gendered social hierarchies and gaining recognition. Girls’ life experiences are not considered, which further reinforces the tendency to delinquency.
Conclusion
The juvenile system does not provide equal conditions for girls and boys because personalized judicial proceedings are not widespread. Girls’ upbringing and school environment influence the frequency and category of offenses. However, subsequent punishment does not account for gender socialization in the context of delinquency, significantly reducing the likelihood of a fair sentence for girls. As a consequence, girls continue to be a vulnerable population with low levels of support from social institutions.
References
Chesney-Lind, M., & Shelden, R. G. (2014a). Girls’ lives and girls’ delinquency. In Girls, delinquency, and the juvenile system. John Wiley & Sons, pp. 146-182.
Chesney-Lind, M., & Shelden, R. G. (2014b). Introduction: Why a book on girls and the juvenile system? In Girls, delinquency, and the juvenile system. John Wiley & Sons, pp. 1-8.
Chesney-Lind, M., & Shelden, R. G. (2014c). The extent of female delinquency. In Girls, delinquency, and the juvenile system. John Wiley & Sons, pp. 9-33.
Chesney-Lind, M., & Shelden, R. G. (2014d). The nature of female delinquency. In Girls, delinquency, and the juvenile system. John Wiley & Sons, pp. 34-71.
de Carvalho, M. J. L., Duart, V., & Gomes, S. (2021). Female crime and delinquency: A kaleidoscope of changes at the intersection of gender and age. Women & Criminal Justice. Web.
Ehrmann, S., Hyland, N., & Puzzanchera, C. (2019). Girls in the juvenile justice. National Report Series Bulletin. Web.
Liu, L., & Miller, S. L. (2020). Protective factors against juvenile delinquency: Exploring gender with a nationally representative sample of youth. Social Science Research, 86. Web.
Smith, D. M., Blake, J. J., Luo, W., Keith, V. M., & Gilreath, T. (2020). Subtypes of girls who engage in serious delinquency and their young adult outcomes. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 44(3). Web.
Stephens, C. (2020). Caseworkers’ perspectives on female juvenile delinquent rehabilitation based on age groups. PhD dissertation. Walden University. Web.